Watch: B-1 Lancer Bomber Night Takeoff in Full Afterburner

Manufactured by Rockwell, the B-1 Lancer bomber, affectionately known as the ‘Bone’ is a four engine supersonic aircraft with variable swept wings. The B-1 was originally thought to be a replacement for the B-52 Stratofortress. It entered service in 1986 as a nuclear bomber but has been widely used in a conventional role.

Watch as a B-1 takes off in full afterburner at twilight

There have been 100 B-1B bombers built at an estimated cost of $280 million each. Rockwell sold their defense and aerospace business to Boeing 1996.

Who can tell us why the B-1 is called the ‘bone’? Comment below.

A B-1B Lancer takes off from Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, to conduct combat operations April 8, 2015. Al Udeid is a strategic coalition air base in Qatar that supports over 90 combat and support aircraft and houses more than 5,000 military personnel. Photo by Senior Airman James Richardson, US Air Force.

Featured image of US Air Force B-1B Lancer flying over northern Iraq after conducting airstrikes in Syria against ISIL targets, Sept. 27, 2014. Photo by Senior Airman Matthew Bruch, US Air Force

About the Author

Doug "Casper" Kolonia
is a former US Navy pilot with flight time in the T2, A4, F-18, C-130 and T-39. He was selected as a SERGRAD flight instructor after completing Advanced Jet Training in Kingsville, TX. He also served as the Schedules Officer for the Navy Air Logistics Office (NALO) in New Orleans, LA.